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Dovewing's Silence/Chapter 1
Chapter description :Dovewing stands in the center of camp, seeing two pale shapes at the edge of the clearing. They are Rock and Midnight, who nod to her before exiting the hollow. Dovewing feels the urge to chase after them, and question what will happen now that the Clans have defeated the Dark Forest. The gray she-cat’s gaze shifts to Sandstorm, who grieves beside Firestar’s body. She watches Leafpool press wads of cobweb onto Cinderheart’s flank, while Lionblaze goes to fetch more herbs. Millie prompts Dovewing to come and help, steering her over to the bodies of Hollyleaf, Ferncloud, and Mousefur. Icecloud tries to convince Dustpelt to go see Leafpool, but he refuses to leave his dead mate's side. Spiderleg comforts the brown warrior, saying that the medicine cat can treat him in the clearing. :Dovewing is startled when Whitewing walks up beside her, as the white she-cat’s pelt is streaked with blood. The pale gray cat is then sent over to help Purdy arrange Mousefur's body. She holds the elder's leg still while her former denmate finishes his work. Dovewing looks up as Jayfeather and Brambleclaw make an announcement, saying that they’re now going to the Moonpool. The brown tabby charges his deputy to keep the Clan safe, and quickly leaves through the thorn barrier. Squirrelflight climbs the rocks to Highledge and tells every cat to get their wounds checked, as they need to stay strong. The ginger deputy narrows her eyes, finishing that that includes every warrior. Dovewing glances at herself, but can’t find any wounds that need urgent attention. She starts to clean Mousefur’s ears, but Purdy insists he can do the rest. Dovewing nods, and steps back as she looks over at Ivypool. The silver-and-white she-cat is picking leaf scraps from Hollyleaf’s fur. Dovewing asks if she’s okay, and Ivypool says she’s alive, thanks to the black warrior in front of her. She continues that Hollyleaf saved her from Hawkfrost, as the Dark Forest warrior had been intent on killing . Dovewing comforts that she’s watching from StarClan, and will never regret what she did. From the other side of Hollyleaf’s body, Daisy murmurs in agreement. :Dovewing looks up when Brackenfur paces the clearing, asking where Sorreltail is. Brightheart emerges from the elders’ den with her kits, answering that she might be in the nursery. Brackenfur nods in thanks, trotting towards the clump of brambles. Dovewing shakes her head, trying to clear the buzzing from her ears. The warrior realizes that she can’t hear Sorreltail, even though it’s nearby. Ivypool asks if she’s alright, and Dovewing murmurs affirmatively. Brackenfur’s voice cuts through the silence as he looks into the nursery. Dovewing pads quickly over to him, seeing Sorreltail’s unmoving body in her nest. Lilykit squeaks that the queen won’t wake up, and Seedkit adds that she must be very tired from the fighting. Brackenfur murmurs quietly, and Dovewing urges the kits to come with her. The two she-cats scramble over Sorreltail’s body, and the warrior is shocked to see blood soaking their bellies. Brackenfur is curled around his mate, begging her not to leave them for the sake of their kits. Seedkit asks if she should stay behind and make her father feel better, since he seems sad. Dovewing replies that it’s best to leave Brackenfur alone for now. :The pale gray warrior herds the kits into the clearing, and Brightheart gasps when she sees their bloodstained forms. She rushes forward and tells Cloudtail to stay with their kits. As the queen grooms the pair, she glances up at Dovewing with a question in her gaze. The pale gray warrior nods, and Brightheart draws Lilykit and Seedkit closer. Squirreflight pads over, demanding to know what’s going on. Dovewing reports that Sorreltail is dead, and the deputy looks baffled. Cherrypaw sways on her paws, and Whitewing grimaces. Squirrelflight wonders how this happened, as the tortoiseshell didn’t say anything about being injured. Sandstorm walks over, and sadly says that if the queen was that badly hurt, there was nothing they could’ve done. Squirrelflight insists the medicine cats would have tried, and an anguished wail rises from the nursery. Millie offers to go to Brackenfur, saying that he shouldn’t be alone. :Graystripe steps forward, meowing that Sorreltail will forever watch over them from StarClan. Squirrelflight anxiously paces in the clearing, exclaiming that every cat needs to check their wounds. Dovewing feels a stab of guilt, and self-consciously licks a scratch on her flank. She begins to make her way to the medicine den, and sees Spiderleg helping dress Foxleap’s wounds. Leafpool looks up, asking Dovewing if she’s hurt, and if it can wait. She reports that Sorreltail died, and the brown tabby jumps up in shock. Leafpool is upset, but Dovewing comforts that the queen didn’t tell anyone, and only wanted to be with her kits. The medicine cat’s shoulder slump, and she promises to come out into the clearing to treat more warriors when she finishes. :Dovewing pads back into the clearing, seeing tiny groups of cats surrounding the bodies of their fallen Clanmates. She sees Ivypool next to Hollyleaf, and Bumblestripe next to Firestar. The striped tom catches Dovewing’s eye, offering to join her, but she declines. Dovewing’s gaze shifts to Cloudtail and Berrynose, who are trying to salvage scraps of bedding from the warriors’ den. Squirrelflight tells them to stop, commenting that nothing will get done tonight anyway. The ginger deputy meows that everyone should get some rest for when Brambleclaw returns. Dovewing pads over to a clear, sandy spot on the ground, trying to settle down. Curling her tail, she tries to spot the new warriors of StarClan in the starry night sky. Dovewing doesn’t find comfort from doing this, and tries to listen to the other Clans. To her surprise, the warrior can’t hear anything but the whispering of the trees. The forest seems to loom around the hollow, and Dovewing wonders if she’ll ever feel safe again. Characters Major }} Minor *Midnight *Sandstorm *Leafpool *Lionblaze *Cinderheart *Millie *Dustpelt *Icecloud *Spiderleg *Whitewing *Purdy *Jayfeather *Brambleclaw *Squirrelflight *Ivypool *Daisy *Brackenfur *Brightheart *Dewkit *Amberkit (Unnamed) *Snowkit (Unnamed) *Lilykit *Seedkit *Cloudtail *Cherrypaw *Graystripe *Foxleap *Bumblestripe *Berrynose }} Mentioned *Hollyleaf *Mousefur *Ferncloud *Brokenstar *Birchfall *Hawkfrost }} Notes and references Category:Dovewing's Silence Category:Chapter subpages Category:Novellas